Letter: What’s alarming

The usual mix of non-sequiturs, dubious history and self pity offered as an argument to preserve whatever ability churches retain to punish those who would ignore their decrees should convince no one with even a passing acquaintance with the church’s legacy of promoting intolerance by means of state power. Neither should we be surprised that they argue in favor of forcing other people to endure suffering to live up to their own ideals.

That said, it is every citizen’s right to advocate for their positions. The truly alarming aspect of Dr. Markovitch’s opinion is not its wrongness, but the fact that the writer places an M.D. after his name. One can but hope that he doesn’t think it his right to deny anyone legal and often critical medical services and advice; not for any medical reason (or even despite medical necessity), but because his invisible friend might become wrathful. If anyone cannot bring themselves to treat a prospective patient as free from the dictates of such arbitrary irrationality, they should not be licensed to do so or give the impression that they are.